profileNamespace - how to use?

[CarlGustaffa 4]

Without currently being able to extract any information, what is the intended use for this command?

[xeno 234]

profileNamespace setVariable ["bla", 10];

_bla = profileNamespace getVariable "bla";

It will write the bla variable to your arma2oa profile file (haven't tested newer ToH versions if it still uses arma2oa profile or its own now), data is written as classes including variable name, type and value.

So basically data that will be always available when you restart the game. But it's ToH only.

Edit: Don't forget to use saveProfileNamespace as the setVariable alone won't save the data to the profile file.

It's another namespace with the possibility to keep data persistent.

Xeno

Edited July 29, 2011 by Xeno

[moricky 211]

Also, I'd recommend not to use saveProfileNamespace too often, as it's quite resource intensive.

e.g. if you're modifying multiple values, do not save them immediately, but wait until all changes were made.

[xeno 234]

And don't wonder when you suddenly have a 10+ MB profile file :D

Xeno

[CarlGustaffa 4]

Yeah I did some tests, storing player equipment data and getting it back. Works fine. Well, at least when I changed my profile to the one I was trying to update (forgot to select my TKOH profile) :p

Would be nice to see this one implemented already in OA. It wouldn't take long until missions and servers started utilizing it, and as Xeno mentions with the 10+ MB profile, I do foresee some potential future problems with it when everyone starts utilizing it fully.

Like, what happens when disc full is encountered (which may happen before you know it)? Loss of profile? Initial thought goes something like having a new datatype "FILE", in which a server can create a new profile subfile, where all it's data goes into this file and only takes a single item in the player profile file. It's not for everyone trying to update these numerical class files manually (similar to mission.sqm - oh I have had my crashes myself :p).

Why now and not wait for Arma3? Because community activity is on the low side atm due summer and long time since release. The feature offers tons of possibilities, but could be wise to get some of the major risks out of the way before full implementation. Waiting for Arma3, when thousands of new users get into the game, could result in issues not trivial for most to handle (like manual cleaning of numerical profile file).

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On a side note, is it possible to read (and write?) anything from the profile file somehow (like identity data), maybe using similar approach as Domination is reading data from description.ext? Or are we and will we be completely limited to class ProfileVariables?